Mobile e-commerce, also known as m-commerce, has rapidly developed in Vietnam.

According to the “Vietnam Digital Landscape 2017” report from We Are Social and quoted by the Vietnam News Agency (VNA), as at January, Vietnam was home to almost 47.2 million mobile internet users, or half of the country’s population. Some 39 per cent of the population have purchased products or services online, of which 29 per cent have placed at least one online order via a mobile device.

The total value of the country’s e-commerce market was estimated at $1.8 billion in 2016, the report noted.

The 2017 Vietnam e-Business Index from the Vietnam e-Commerce Association (VECOM) shows that the internet has been a great tool for local enterprises in cross-border trade. They can communicate with overseas partners and access online public services, for example e-customs and e-certificates of origin.

It also found that 45 per cent of domestic enterprises have a website but only 19 per cent of these are compatible with mobile devices, down from 26 per cent in 2015.

To succeed, domestic firms must catch up with mobile e-commerce trends to maintain a competitive edge over others, VECOM Vice President Nguyen Ngoc Dung was quoted by VNA as telling the Vietnam Mobile Day held last weekend.

Mr. Dung suggested that selecting a suitable domain name should be the first step in building a reliable online presence for a business, as this is not simply an address on the internet but is also closely attached to the enterprise’s operations and branding.

A mobile-friendly website will attract more customers to the brand name and improve its competitiveness, he added.

For those who wish to reach out to global markets, the domain name “.com” indicates credibility thanks to its popularity and stability over the past 18 years, Executive Director of Mat Bao Corporation Huynh Ngoc Duy told the event.

Sharing this view, Mr. Nguyen Tu Hong Quan, Director of the Nhan Hoa Software Company, noted that many international companies, including those listed in the Fortune 500, use “.com” for their website, aiming to reach new customers outside their region.